Sermon Tone Analysis

“The Test of Blessings”

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There is no one in the Bible that experienced more ups and downs than Joseph.

One day he was his father’s favorite son, wearing the coat of many colors, destined to inherit the authority and wealth of his father.

The next day he is thrown in a pit and sold by his brothers into slavery.

He is bought by a man named Potiphar; and he gradually rose to the position of overseer in Potiphar’s house.

Then he is lied on by Potiphar’s wife and thrown in the dungeon.

One day he has hopes of being delivered by his friend the cupbearer.

But then he’s forgotten about for two long years.

Then one day he was suddenly summonsed, shaved clothed and standing before the Pharaoh.

Talk about a roller coaster life, Joseph had one.

Joseph had been loved and hated, respected and lied own, treated unfairly, and forgot.

But through all the up and downs Joseph stayed faithful to God!!

Joseph doesn’t become bitter, resentful, hateful, unforgiving or mean-spirited.

Joseph lived a God-Centered life; he kept his eyes of God through it all.

Through all that had happened to him God was preparing Joseph to be the Prime Minister of Egypt!

The dreams that God had given him as a 17-year-old young man are about to come true.

Joseph is a great example of -“And we know that all things work together for the good of them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose”

God had great plans for Joseph; but he was not ready for what God had for him as a 17-year-old young man wearing the coat of many colors, spoiled by his dad.

The years of testing, trials and difficulties had prepared Joseph for what God had planned for his life.

Overcoming temptation, and passing test had developed Joseph into a man that God could trust with great responsibility!

· Joseph overcame sexual temptation.

When Miss Potiphar try to seduce Joseph; who was only a 17-year-old young man, Joseph said no!

He said how can I sin and do this great wickedness against God!

Joseph was a young man with moral character; he was determined to live his life to honor God!

Joseph overcame fleshly temptation!

· Joseph passed the test of patience.

It had been 13 long years since Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery; he had been treated unfairly in the Egyptian dungeon many of those years.

Yet he faithfully served God year in and year out; God had given him a dream and promised he was going to be a ruler and Joseph believe God, and waited patiently for God to promote him.

Joseph passed the test of difficulty, adversity and patience with flying colors.

In this chapter Joseph is going to face another test; the test of blessings.

What will Joseph do when he is suddenly delivered from the dungeon and becomes the most popular man in Egypt?

Joseph goes from being an unknown prisoner to being the right hand man of Pharaoh.

Joseph becomes a household name in Egypt, he is the guy who interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams; and developed a plan to save Egypt from famine and starvation

Joseph’s picture was on the front page of the

Egyptian newspaper, and on the cover of every magazine in Egypt.

In the evening news there he was; he was on “good morning Egypt”.

He went from obscurity to popularity overnight.

He went from being dirt poor; to having all the riches of Egypt.

How will Joseph handle the test of blessings?

Did you know that more people fail because of success; than fail because of sorrow?

Success, blessings, and promotion have been the downfall of many people.

Every area of life is filled with people who have failed the test of blessings.

In the political realm we have seen men and women rise to power, popularity, only to come tumbling down.

In the athletic arena we have seen young men rise to stardom, sign million-dollar contracts; and then make terrible mistakes that ruin their lives.

They could not handle the popularity and money.

It is also true in the business world where people have risen quickly to mind – boggling business success; to only find the road down to be just as quick.

Unfortunately the same thing has happened in the church world; pastors, evangelists, and musicians find themselves being successful and because they don’t have the proper foundation they can’t handle it and they fail and dishonor the name of God.

Let me be quick to say there’s nothing wrong with success, blessings and advancement.

But when the test of blessings come you must be prepared to handle it, honor God through it and use the blessings, success to point people to Jesus.

Joseph teaches us how to respond when blessings comes into our lives.

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When Recognition Comes; Don’t take the Credit!

V:1-37.

In the first 37 verses of this chapter were given the background that brings Joseph to the place to become the Prime Minister of Egypt.

The Pharaoh has two dreams, in his first dream he sees seven big, fat healthy cows feeding in the field.

Then in that same dream he sees seven skinny, sickly cows come and stand beside the seven big, fat cows.

And the seven skinny, sickly cows eat up the seven big, fat cows; and Pharaoh wakes up.

Pharaoh falls back asleep and dreams a second dream, in this dream he sees seven big fat ears of corn on one stock.

Then he sees seven dried up ears of corn on one stock.

Then in this dream he sees the seven dried up ears of corn, eat up the seven fat ears of corn.

Pharaoh wakes up from these dreams and the Bible says in, V:8-“ Pharaoh’s spirit was troubled”.

God is speaking to the Pharaoh through these dreams, revealing what the future was for him and his nation and surrounding nations.

The word troubled means, to be greatly agitated and disturbed.

Pharaoh finds himself troubled in his heart and mind, all peace is gone from Pharaoh’s life.

Here’s a man who has all the wealth of the world and yet his heart and mind is troubled because God is revealing himself to him.

When your mind and heart is troubled; you need to seek help!

So Pharaoh calls his magicians, soothsayers, astrologers and tells them his dream.

But all of these educated, scholarly men, who studied the stars, who attended the University’s, who read Egyptian hieroglyphics could not interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.

V:8-“but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh”

They couldn’t come up with a single thing; there like Pharaoh we got nothing!

We don’t know how to help you make sense of your dreams.

And can I tell you this morning, all these years later; if you’re looking to the philosophers, fortunetellers, astrologers to help you make sense of your life and this world and the future; get ready for waking up troubled!

This world does not have the answers for where you came from, why you’re here, and where you’re going when you leave this world.

The only one who can give you the interpretation, meaning for the purpose of your life and future is God!

All of Pharaoh’s wise men can’t help him one bit!

Guess who God had standing right there at the right time to hear about Pharaoh’s dream?

The Butler, the guy who two years earlier was in the dungeon with Joseph, and had dreamed a dream and Joseph interpreted it.

God in his sovereignty had the Butler standing there at that exact time.

I can picture the Butler as he’s hearing Pharaoh’s dream, watching the wise men scratch their heads and come up with nothing.

V:9“Then spoke the chief Butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day….

I can see the Butler as he slaps his four-head and saying to himself; how dumb can you be Mr. Butler you forgot about Joseph.

Then he tells the Pharaoh about this young Hebrew he met when he was in the dungeon.

He tells him that Joseph had interpreted his dream and the Baker’s dream and they came to pass just like Joseph said they would.

So Pharaoh sent some men to get Joseph out of the dungeon.

V:15-READ.

In just a few verses Joseph has moved from the prison to the palace.

He has barely has time to shave and put on a change of clothes, he is quickly taken out of the smelly dungeon into the beautiful throne room of the king.

And the king says, I’ve heard about you, that you can interpret dreams.

Joseph is finally being recognized far the giftedness that God has given him.

That could have caused Joseph to think, you know I really do have the ability to interpret dreams.

Yes sir Mr. Pharaoh, I am a dream interpretation machine, tell me your dream and I am able to interpret it.

But that is not what Joseph said! Listen to what Joseph said, V:16-READ.

Joseph says, I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer.

God and God alone can give you peace for your troubled mind and heart.

Joseph pointed the Pharaoh away from himself to God!

When recognition comes; don’t take the credit!

Joseph wanted God to receive the glory!

So the first thing that Joseph says to the most powerful man in the world; who was considered to be a God himself; was the true and living God will give you an answer for your dreams.

Joseph tells Pharaoh, that God who created the stars, and the Nile River, He and He alone is the one who handles dreams.

Pharaoh, it is God who can bring you shalom; peace!

Joseph use the name of God five times in his conversation with the Pharaoh.